Bangladesh shopping mall fire leaves 46 dead

A massive fire engulfed a seven-story shopping mall in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, on Thursday evening, leaving at least 46 people dead and 22 injured. It was reportedly one of the worst infernos to hit the country in recent years.

The fire erupted around 9:50 pm on Thursday at the renowned “Kacchi Bhai” restaurant located on the first floor of the Green Cozy Cottage building. Swiftly spreading to upper levels housing additional eateries and a garment shop, the inferno prompted a frantic rescue effort by fire service personnel.

Health Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen disclosed that as of Friday 2 am, 33 bodies had been transported to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), with 10 others received at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. Another victim succumbed to injuries at the Police Hospital. The condition of the injured remains critical, according to Sen.

Currently, 10 people are undergoing treatment at the Sheikh Hasina burn unit and two at DMCH, he said.

Authorities have identified 39 of the deceased, with 31 bodies handed over to families without autopsy. However, the identities of six victims remain unknown, pending DNA testing for confirmation.

The commercial building that was gutted did not have permission for restaurants, The Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.

The building had permission for office use, not restaurants and eateries, according to Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk). But the building housed eight restaurants, a juice bar and a tea and coffee shop, the report said.

Ashraful Islam, Town Planner and Director of the Detailed Area Planning (DAP) project of Rajuk, confirmed that the building’s commercial approval strictly permitted office use, disallowing restaurants or showrooms.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed condolences to the victims’ families and urged stricter adherence to building safety regulations. A five-member committee has been formed to investigate the incident.

Notably, the fire’s toll included the daughter of a police officer. Fire Service Director General Moin suggested a gas leak or stove ignition as the likely cause, underscoring the perilous conditions within the building exacerbated by the presence of gas cylinders on every floor.

Most of the people died as they jumped off the building or from burns or suffocation, said firefighters who brought the fire under control around 12.30 am.

Fires in apartment buildings and factory complexes are common in Bangladesh due to lax enforcement of safety rules.

As many as 102 people were killed and 281 others sustained burn injuries in 27,624 fire incidents across the country in 2023, according to Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters.

According to the Fire Service statistics, most of the fire incidents originated from electric short circuits, burning cigarettes, ovens and leakage of gas pipelines.

In July 2021, at least 52 people including many children were killed when a fire swept through a food processing factory.

In February 2019, 70 people died when an inferno ripped through several Dhaka apartment blocks.